Goods-to-man warehousing comprising multilevel racking, mobile storage units, storage unit transporters, and pick-place vehicle

ABSTRACT

A goods-to-man warehousing system comprises a multilevel racking system, a plurality of mobile storage units, a storage unit transporter, a pick-place vehicle, a mobile storage unit transfer node, and a warehouse management computing hub. The multilevel racking system comprises a vertically and horizontally distributed array of storage bays. One or more of the mobile storage units are positioned in respective ones of the storage bays of the multilevel racking system. The pick-place vehicle comprises pick-place hardware that enables the pick-place vehicle to transfer mobile storage units between a plurality of different, vertically displaced storage bays of the multilevel racking system and the mobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousing system. The storage unit transporter comprises storage unit engagement hardware that enables the storage unit transporter to transport mobile storage units to or from the mobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousing system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/890,038 filed Jun. 2, 2020, which is continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/426,576 filed May 30, 2019, which is adivisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/405,886 filed Jan. 13,2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.62/278,502 filed Jan. 14, 2016, the entire disclosure of which is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to automatic retrieval and placement ofgoods in warehouses and, more particularly to goods-to-man warehousingsystems.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present applicant has recognized that goods-to-man warehousingsystems, where partially or fully autonomous storage unit transportersmove stocked items to and from goods receiving stations, often fail toutilize available warehouse space efficiently More specifically, manygoods-to-man automated warehouse inventory systems are limited to floorlevel operation and do not take advantage of multilevel racking systems.

According to the subject matter of the present disclosure, a storageunit transporter and a pick-place vehicle provide goods-to-man serviceto a vertically and horizontally distributed array of storage bays. Inthis manner, multiple levels of storage bays, including those closer tothe warehouse ceiling can be utilized for storage to make more use ofexisting warehouse space. Rather than transporting mobile storage unitsexclusively to floor-level locations, a storage unit transporter cancoordinate with a pick-place vehicle to provide automated orsemi-automated access to storage bays not directly accessible to thestorage unit transporter.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, agoods-to-man warehousing system comprises a multilevel racking system, aplurality of mobile storage units, a storage unit transporter, apick-place vehicle, a mobile storage unit transfer node, and a warehousemanagement computing hub. The multilevel racking system comprises avertically and horizontally distributed array of storage bays. One ormore of the mobile storage units are positioned in respective ones ofthe storage bays of the multilevel racking system. The pick-placevehicle comprises pick-place hardware that enables the pick-placevehicle to transfer mobile storage units between a plurality ofdifferent, vertically displaced storage bays of the multilevel rackingsystem and the mobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-manwarehousing system. The storage unit transporter comprises storage unitengagement hardware that enables the storage unit transporter totransport mobile storage units to or from the mobile storage unittransfer node of the goods-to-man warehousing system. The warehousemanagement computing hub is programmed to instruct the storage unittransporter and the pick-place vehicle to coordinate movement of themobile storage units in the goods-to-man warehousing system.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, agoods-to-man warehousing system comprises a multilevel racking systemcomprising a plurality of racking system aisles between adjacent arraysof storage bays, a storage unit transporter configured to travel in theracking system aisles, a plurality of mobile storage units, a pick-placevehicle configured to travel in the racking system aisles, a mobilestorage unit transfer node, a goods receiving station, and a warehousemanagement computing hub. The multilevel racking system comprises avertically and horizontally distributed array of storage bays. One ormore of the mobile storage units are positioned in respective ones ofthe storage bays of the multilevel racking system. Each of the mobilestorage units is structurally configured to permit the storage unittransporter to enter and exit a lifting zone beneath the mobile storageunit in at least two orthogonal directions, with the lifting surface ofthe storage unit transporter at the traveling height. The pick-placevehicle comprises lifting forks mounted to a pivoting mast enabling thepick-place vehicle to transfer mobile storage units between a pluralityof different, vertically displaced storage bays of the multilevelracking system and the mobile storage unit transfer node of thegoods-to-man warehousing system. The storage unit transporter comprisesstorage unit engagement hardware that enables the storage unittransporter to transport mobile storage units from the mobile storageunit transfer node to the goods receiving station of the goods-to-manwarehousing system. The storage unit transporter comprises a liftingsurface and is structurally configured to lift a mobile storage unit offof a warehouse floor upon which the multilevel racking system issupported by elevating the transporter lifting surface from a travelingheight to a transporting height. The warehouse management computing hubis programmed to coordinate transfer of the mobile storage units betweenthe storage bays of the multilevel racking system, the mobile storageunit transfer node, the storage unit transporter, the goods receivingstation, or combinations thereof.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, amethod of transporting of goods in a multilevel racking system comprisescoordinating, via a warehouse management computing hub, transfer ofmobile storage units between storage bays of the multilevel rackingsystem, a mobile storage unit transfer node, and a storage unittransporter. The multilevel racking system comprises a vertically andhorizontally distributed array of storage bays. One or more of themobile storage units are positioned in respective ones of the storagebays of the multilevel racking system. The method further comprisestransmitting, via the warehouse management computing hub, instructionsto the storage unit transporter and a pick-place vehicle. The methodalso comprises transferring, via the pick-place vehicle, the mobilestorage units between a plurality of different, vertically displacedstorage bays of the multilevel racking system and the mobile storageunit transfer node. The method further still comprises transporting, viathe storage unit transporter, the mobile storage units to or from themobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousingsystem.

Although the concepts of the present disclosure are described hereinwith primary reference to particular types of multilevel rackingsystems, mobile storage units, storage unit transporters, pick-placevehicles, mobile storage unit transfer nodes, goods receiving stations,and warehouse management computing hubs, it is contemplated that theconcepts will enjoy applicability to any form of multilevel rackingsystems, mobile storage units, storage unit transporters, pick-placevehicles, mobile storage unit transfer nodes, goods receiving stations,and warehouse management computing hubs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description of specific embodiments of thepresent disclosure can be best understood when read in conjunction withthe following drawings, where like structure is indicated with likereference numerals and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a goods-to-man warehousing system according to one ormore embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 2 depicts a moving pick-place vehicle and a storage unittransporter transporting a mobile storage unit in an aisle of amultilevel racking system according to one or more embodiments shown anddescribed herein;

FIG. 3 depicts a pick-place vehicle retrieving a mobile storage unitfrom an upper level storage bay in a multilevel racking system accordingto one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 4 depicts a pick-place vehicle lowering a mobile storage unit ontoa mobile storage unit transfer node according to one or more embodimentsshown and described herein;

FIG. 5 depicts a storage unit transporter retrieving a mobile storageunit from a mobile storage unit transfer node according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 6 depicts a pick-place vehicle and a storage unit transportertransporting a mobile storage unit moving in divergent directionsaccording to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 7 depicts a plurality of storage unit transporters bringingrespective mobile storage units towards a mobile storage unit transfernode in front of a pick-place vehicle according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 8 depicts a storage unit transporter dropping off a mobile storageunit at a mobile storage unit transfer node according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 9 depicts a pick-place vehicle raising a mobile storage unit abovea mobile storage unit transfer node according to one or more embodimentsshown and described herein;

FIG. 10 depicts a pick-place vehicle placing a mobile storage unitwithin an upper level storage bay of a multilevel racking systemaccording to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and

FIG. 11 depicts a computing device embodied in a warehouse managementcomputing hub according to one or more embodiments shown and describedherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially to FIG. 1, a goods-to-man warehousing system 100 isshown. The goods-to-man warehousing system 100 comprises a multilevelracking system 102, a plurality of mobile storage units 104, one or morestorage unit transporters 106, one or more pick-place vehicles 108, oneor more mobile storage unit transfer nodes 110, one or more goodsreceiving stations 112, and one or more warehouse management computinghubs 114. The multilevel racking system 102 comprises one or morevertically and horizontally distributed arrays of storage bays 116. Themobile storage units 104 can be positioned in respective ones of thestorage bays 116 of the multilevel racking system 102.

It is contemplated that the mobile storage units 104 may be presented asa stacked pallet of similar goods or as a multilevel storage unit 104with individual container bays that are configured to accommodate aplurality of different types of goods. In the particular embodimentillustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile storage units 104 compriseself-contained shelving units that are structurally configured to bepositioned in the vertically and horizontally distributed storage bays116 of the multilevel racking system 102. In this embodiment, the mobilestorage units 104 are structurally configured to stand on a warehousefloor while permitting transporter travel there beneath. In thiscontext, it is contemplated that the warehouse floor upon which themultilevel racking system 102 is supported may also function as thelowest level of the multilevel racking system 102 and will typicallycomprise a storage height that is sufficient to accommodate the heightof the self-contained shelving unit. It is also contemplated that atleast some of the mobile storage unit transfer nodes 110 may reside inthe lowest level of the multilevel racking system 102 because thewarehouse floor also functions as the lowest racking level in theseareas. This allows for high velocity items to be placed on the groundlevel and be picked up by a storage unit transporter 106 without furtherinvolvement of the pick-place vehicle.

Respective storage bay heights may be limited to accommodate a height ofonly one mobile storage unit 104 to optimize usage of vertical warehousespace. Each storage bay 116 contains two mobile storage units 104, butthis may vary in other embodiments. The multilevel racking system 102may include a plurality of racking system aisles 118 between adjacentarrays of storage bays 116 and the storage unit transporter 106 and thepick-place vehicle 108 may be configured to travel in the racking systemaisles 118. In some embodiments the aisle width of the racking systemaisles 118 is less than approximately 2 meters. In other embodiments theaisle width of the racking system aisles is between approximately 1.2 mand approximately 1.8 m.

The pick-place vehicle 108 may comprise any type of conventional oryet-to-be developed vehicle capable of placing mobile storage units 104in the multilevel racking system 102 or picking mobile storage unitsfrom the multilevel racking system 102. For example, referring to FIG.1, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pick-place vehiclecomprises a turret stock picker forklift comprising lifting forksmounted to a pivoting mast or a non-pivoting mast.

The pick-place vehicle 108 may be a manually operated vehicle, or apartially or fully autonomous vehicle. For example, and not by way oflimitation, the pick-place vehicle 108 may comprise a barcode scanner tofacilitate navigation with the aid of a plurality of navigationalbarcodes distributed throughout the racking system aisles 118. Thewarehouse management computing hub 114 and the pick-place vehicle 108may be collectively configured for vehicle navigation within the rackingsystem aisles 118 utilizing, at least in part, the barcode scanner andthe navigational barcodes.

It is contemplated that a variety of alternative technologies may beprovided to facilitate partial or fully autonomous navigation of thepick-place vehicle 108, including conventional, or yet-to-be developedtechnology. For example, and not by way of limitation, radio frequencyidentification (RFID) tags may be embedded in the warehouse floor, orsecured to various warehouse objects, to help facilitate partially orfully autonomous navigation. Wire guidance systems, which are welldocumented in the art, may also be employed to help facilitate partiallyor fully autonomous navigation. In one contemplated embodiment, RFIDtags embedded in the warehouse floor may be used in conjunction with awire guidance system. In which case, it may be advantageous to embed theRFID tags at vehicle stop locations, pick-place locations, transfer nodelocations, or other significant navigational markers along a warehouseaisle. Partially or fully autonomous navigation may also be implemented,by way of non-limiting examples, through laser-based navigation, time offlight cameras, environmental based location, overhead feature-basedlocalization, illumination-invariant feature detection, mappartitioning, pre-positioned object-based localization, and/ortransversal edge detection based localization.

The pick-place vehicle 108 comprises pick-place hardware that enablesthe pick-place vehicle to transfer mobile storage units 104 between aplurality of different, vertically displaced storage bays 116 of themultilevel racking system 102 and storage unit transfer nodes of thegoods-to-man warehousing system 100. It is contemplated that thepick-place vehicle 108 may comprise any of a variety of forkliftconfigurations, including, but not limited to, the TSP Series verynarrow aisle trucks, reach trucks, and order pickers available fromCrown Equipment Corporation. It is also contemplated that the presentdisclosure is not limited to the use of pick place-vehicles 108including forks. The pick-place vehicle 108 may include any mechanicalmeans for picking and placing the mobile storage units of the presentdisclosure, so long as the pick-place vehicle 108 is capable ofaccessing the storage bays 116 of a multilevel racking system 102comprising a vertically and horizontally distributed array of storagebays 116.

The storage unit transporter 106 comprises storage unit engagementhardware that enables the storage unit transporter 106 to transportmobile storage units 104 from one or more mobile storage unit transfernodes 110 to one or more goods receiving stations 112 of thegoods-to-man warehousing system 100. For example, the storage unittransporter 106 may feature a lifting surface and be structurallyconfigured to lift a mobile storage unit 104 off of a warehouse floorupon which the multilevel racking system 102 is supported by elevatingthe transporter lifting surface from a traveling height to atransporting height. Each of the mobile storage units 104 may bestructurally configured to permit the storage unit transporter 106 toenter and exit a lifting zone beneath the mobile storage unit 104 in atleast two orthogonal directions, with the lifting surface of the storageunit transporter 106 at the traveling height. The travel path beneaththe multilevel racking system 102 is a linear travel path extendingalong the warehouse floor, in a storage plane defined by the distributedarray of storage bays 116. The multilevel racking system may comprise aplurality of racking system aisles 118 between adjacent arrays ofstorage bays 116, where the storage unit transporter 106 may be furtherconfigured to transport the mobile storage unit 104 within, into, andout of the racking system aisles 118. The mobile storage units 104 maybe positioned in vertically and horizontally distributed storage bays116 of the multilevel racking system 102. Further, the mobile storageunits 104 may be structurally configured for transporter travel therebeneath by, for example, ensuring that a bottom surface of a loweststorage level of each of the mobile storage units 104 has a heightexceeding the traveling height of the transporter lifting surface of thestorage unit transporter 106.

In FIG. 1, the goods receiving station 112 comprises a goods selectionterminal 120 that is outfitted for removal of goods from the mobilestorage units 104. In an alternative embodiment, the goods-to-manwarehousing system 100 further comprises an intermediate transferstation 112 that is positioned along a mobile storage unit travel pathextending from the mobile storage unit transfer node 110 to the goodsreceiving station 112. The mobile storage units 104 may be positioned atthe intermediate transfer station 122 and the goods-to-man warehousingsystem 100 may further comprise a tugger or other type of storage unittransfer vehicle outfitted to transfer one or more mobile storage units104 from the goods receiving station 112 at the intermediate transferstation 122 to the goods selection terminal 120.

For example, and not by way of limitation, the mobile storage units 104may be positioned on linked or unlinked towable units and the storageunit transfer vehicle may comprise a rider tow tractor or other type oftugger, such as the TR Series heavy-duty rider tow tractor availablefrom Crown Equipment Corporation, as described in detail in the OperatorManual for Crown TR Series 4500 rider tow tractor. The storage unittransfer vehicle may be controlled by an operator located within oroutside of the storage unit transfer vehicle. It is contemplated thatthe present disclosure is not limited to the use of a rider tow tractor.The storage unit transfer vehicle may include any mechanical means fortransferring the mobile storage units of the present disclosure, so longas the storage unit transfer vehicle is capable of transferring one ormore mobile storage units 104 from the goods receiving station at theintermediate transfer station 122 to the goods selection terminal 120.

The warehouse management computing hub 114 may be programmed to instructthe storage unit transporter 106 and the pick-place vehicle 108 tocoordinate movement of the mobile storage units 104 in the goods-to-manwarehousing system 100. The warehouse management computing hub 114 maybe configured to manage locations of the plurality of mobile storageunits 104, the storage unit transporters 106, the pick-place vehicles108, the mobile storage unit transfer nodes 110, and the goods receivingstations 112. More specifically, the aforementioned coordinated movementmay apply to the transfer of the mobile storage units 104 between thestorage bays 116 of the multilevel racking system 102, the mobilestorage unit transfer node 110, the storage unit transporter 106, thegoods receiving station 112, or various combinations thereof. Inaddition, it is contemplated that these instructions may be presented ina variety of forms. For example, and not by way of limitation, theseinstructions may represent detailed turn-by-turn movements for thestorage unit transporter 106 and pick-place vehicle 108 to accomplishthe aforementioned coordination. Or, the instructions may merelyrepresent a set of position and time coordinates necessary to accomplishthe aforementioned coordination. In which case, the storage unittransporter 106 and pick-place vehicle 108 would be responsible fordeveloping their own turn-by-turn travel paths to accomplish theaforementioned coordination. In any case, it is contemplated that thosepracticing the concepts of the present disclosure may rely onconventional or yet-to-be developed teachings related to warehousetraffic management and automated vehicle guidance to achieve theaforementioned coordination.

In another embodiment, it is contemplated that the pick-place vehicle108 may transfer mobile storage units 104 between the storage bays 116of the multilevel racking system 102 and the storage unit transporter106. In this embodiment, the location of the storage unit transfer node110 would correspond to the location of the storage unit transporter106.

FIG. 2 is a side view depiction 200 of a pick-place vehicle 108navigating an aisle 118. In the same aisle, a storage unit transporter106 transports a mobile storage unit 104. Another storage unittransporter 106 navigates along the floor beneath a row of mobilestorage units 104. In this example, a storage unit transporter 106 cantravel outside of an aisle 118, which can help keep the aisle clear aswell as reduce the travel time of transports 106 and/or pick-placevehicles 108.

FIG. 3 is a depiction 300 of a pick operation. More specifically, awarehouse management computing hub and the pick-place vehicle 108 may becollectively configured to execute a pick operation by selecting avertically displaced stocked storage bay 116 that is not accessible bythe storage unit transporter 106 and has at least one target mobilestorage unit 104. Retrieval of the target mobile storage unit 104 fromthe vertically displaced stocked storage bay 116 may be performed byengaging the target mobile unit 104 with a lifting mechanism of thepick-place vehicle 108. The lifting mechanism has been simplified in thefigures for purposes of illustration. While a narrow aisle lift, such asa TSP, may be best suited for high density warehouses with narrowaisles, any of a variety of lifting mechanisms can be employed.

The pick-place vehicle 108 retrieves a target mobile storage unit 104from the vertically displaced stocked storage bay 116. A storage unittransporter 106 approaches the pick-place vehicle 108 and a mobilestorage unit transfer node 110 in the aisle 118 near the mobile storageunit 104 being retrieved by the pick-place vehicle 108. The mobilestorage unit transfer node 110 may be vertically aligned with thestocked storage bay 116, at an end of an aisle 118 in which the stockedstorage bay 116 resides, at a location within the aisle 118 in which thestocked storage bay 116 resides that is neither vertically aligned withthe stocked storage bay 116 nor at an end of the aisle 118, or at alocation outside of the aisle 118 in which the stocked storage bay 116resides.

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 present continuing depictions 400, 500, and 600 of thepick operation in FIG. 3. The pick-place vehicle 108 lowers the mobilestorage unit 104 from the stocked storage bay 116 onto the mobilestorage unit transfer node 110. The storage unit transporters 106 getscloser to the pick-place vehicle 108 and rotates toward the mobilestorage unit transfer node 110.

Turning to FIGS. 5 and 6, the storage unit transporter 106 arrives atthe mobile storage unit transfer node 110 under the mobile storage unit104 and carries the mobile storage unit 104 away in a suitabledirection. Examples of storage unit transporters are shown and describedin more detail, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication US2008/0166217 A1.

FIG. 7 is a depiction 700 of a place operation. More specifically, awarehouse management computing hub and the pick-place vehicle 108 may becollectively configured to execute a place operation comprisingselection of a mobile storage unit transfer node 110 that is accessibleby a storage unit transporter 106 and the pick-place vehicle 108,retrieval of a target mobile storage unit 104 from the mobile storageunit transfer node 110 by engaging the target mobile storage unit 104with a lifting mechanism of the pick-place vehicle 108, and placement ofthe target mobile storage unit 104 into a vertically displaced unstockedor partially stocked storage bay 116 using the lifting mechanism of thepick-place vehicle 108. The place operation may further select thevertically displaced unstocked or partially stocked storage bay 116based at least partially on a utilization frequency associated with thetarget mobile storage unit 104. The place operation may designaterelatively high velocity storage bays 116 for target mobile storageunits 104 with relatively high utilization frequencies and relativelylow velocity storage bays 116 for target mobile storage units 104 ofrelatively low utilization frequencies. In some embodiments, therelatively high velocity storage bays of a warehouse aisle 118 arepositioned closer to an end of the warehouse aisle 118 than therelatively low velocity storage bays 116, closer to a floor level of thewarehouse aisle 118 than relatively low velocity storage bays 116, orboth. In other embodiments, the relatively high velocity storage bays116 of a warehouse aisle 118 are positioned at the ends of the warehouseaisle 118, at the floor level of the warehouse aisle 118, or both.

The velocity of storage bays 116 may be determined by the travel timeneeded for a storage unit transporter 106 and/or the pick-place vehicle108 to drive to storage bay 116 and for the pick-place vehicle 108 toraise/lower with respect to the height of the storage bay 116. Forexample, a storage bay 116 may have a high velocity when it is locatedat the end of an aisle 118 closest to the goods receiving station 112,goods selection terminal 120, or intermediate transfer station 122, thusrequiring less travel for the storage unit transporter 106 and/or thepick-place vehicle 108. Similarly, a storage bay 116 may have a highvelocity when it is located at a height that is closer to floor level,thus requiring less access time for the pick-place vehicle 108 to raiseand/or lower a mobile storage unit 104 into and/or out of the storagebay 116. A storage bay 116 may have an intermediate velocity when it islocated in the middle of an aisle 118, because this requires a mediumamount of travel for the storage unit transporter 106 and/or thepick-place vehicle 108. However, such a storage bay 116 may be deemedeither a high or low velocity storage bay 116 relative to the locationsof particular goods receiving stations 112, goods selection terminals120, or intermediate transfer stations 122. In some embodiments, beinglocated in the middle of an aisle 118 will result in a low velocityrating. A storage bay 116 may also have an intermediate velocity when itis located at a medium height, thus requiring a medium amount of accesstime for the pick-place vehicle 108 to raise and/or lower a mobilestorage unit 104 into and/or out of the storage bay 116. A storage bay116 may have a low velocity when it is located at the end of an aisle118 furthest from the goods receiving station 112, goods selectionterminal 120, or intermediate transfer station 122, thus requiring moretravel for the storage unit transporter 106 and/or the pick-placevehicle 108. Similarly, a storage bay 116 may have a low velocity whenit is located furthest from floor level, such as the highest levels,thus requiring the greatest amount of access time for the pick-placevehicle 108 to raise and/or lower a mobile storage unit 104 into and/orout of the storage bay 116.

Continuing with the depiction 700 of FIG. 7, a pick-place vehicle 108arrives at a mobile storage unit transfer node 110. Multiple storageunit transporters 106, each carrying a mobile storage unit 104, approachthe pick-place vehicle 108, with the first storage unit transporter 106assigned to the mobile storage unit transfer node 110.

FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 present continuing depictions 800, 900, and 1000 ofthe pick operation in FIG. 7. Turning to FIG. 8, the first storage unittransporter 106 carries the mobile storage unit 104 to the assignedmobile storage unit transfer node 110 in front of the pick-place vehicle108.

Turning to FIG. 9, the pick-place vehicle 108 lifts the mobile storageunit 104 from the mobile storage unit transfer node 110 up to a heightcorresponding to the partially stocked storage bay 116 in which themobile storage unit 104 will be placed. The pick-place vehicle 108 canalso place mobile storage units in unstocked storage bays 116. The firststorage unit transporter 106 rotates and moves out of the aisle towardsthe multilevel racking system 102.

Turning to FIG. 10, having placed the mobile storage unit 104 into thestorage bay 116, the pick-place vehicle 108 moves down the aisle 118away from the mobile storage unit transfer node 110. The first storageunit transporter 106 travels under the first level of the lower level ofstorage bays 116 of the multilevel racking system 102 in a suitabledirection. More storage unit transporters 106, each carrying a mobilestorage unit 104, move in the aisle 118 in a suitable direction. In someembodiments, storage unit transporters 106 follow the pick-place vehicle108 like a train moving down the aisle 118.

Turning to FIG. 11, a block diagram illustrates an example of acomputing device 1100, through which embodiments of the disclosure canbe implemented, for example in a warehouse management computing hub 114.The computing device 1100 described herein is but one example of asuitable computing device and does not suggest any limitation on thescope of any embodiments presented. Nothing illustrated or describedwith respect to the computing device 1100 should be interpreted as beingrequired or as creating any type of dependency with respect to anyelement or plurality of elements. In various embodiments, a computingdevice 1100 may include, but need not be limited to, a desktop, laptop,server, client, tablet, smartphone, or any other type of device that cancompress data. In an embodiment, the computing device 1100 includes atleast one processor 1102 and memory (non-volatile memory 1108 and/orvolatile memory 1110). The computing device 1100 can include one or moredisplays and/or output devices 1104 such as monitors, speakers,headphones, projectors, wearable-displays, holographic displays, and/orprinters, for example. The computing device 1100 may further include oneor more input devices 1106 which can include, by way of example, anytype of mouse, keyboard, disk/media drive, memory stick/thumb-drive,memory card, pen, touch-input device, biometric scanner, voice/auditoryinput device, motion-detector, camera, scale, etc.

The computing device 1100 may include non-volatile memory 1108 (ROM,flash memory, etc.), volatile memory 1110 (RAM, etc.), or a combinationthereof. A network interface 1112 can facilitate communications over anetwork 1114 via wires, via a wide area network, via a local areanetwork, via a personal area network, via a cellular network, via asatellite network, etc. Suitable local area networks may include wiredEthernet and/or wireless technologies such as, for example, wirelessfidelity (Wi-Fi). Suitable personal area networks may include wirelesstechnologies such as, for example, IrDA, Bluetooth, Wireless USB,Z-Wave, ZigBee, and/or other near field communication protocols.Suitable personal area networks may similarly include wired computerbuses such as, for example, USB and FireWire. Suitable cellular networksinclude, but are not limited to, technologies such as LTE, WiMAX, UMTS,CDMA, and GSM. Network interface 1112 can be communicatively coupled toany device capable of transmitting and/or receiving data via the network1114. Accordingly, the hardware of the network interface 1112 caninclude a communication transceiver for sending and/or receiving anywired or wireless communication. For example, the network interfacehardware may include an antenna, a modem, LAN port, Wi-Fi card, WiMaxcard, mobile communications hardware, near-field communication hardware,satellite communication hardware and/or any wired or wireless hardwarefor communicating with other networks and/or devices.

A computer readable storage medium 1116 may comprise a plurality ofcomputer readable mediums, each of which may be either a computerreadable storage medium or a computer readable signal medium. A computerreadable storage medium 1116 may reside, for example, within an inputdevice 1106, non-volatile memory 1108, volatile memory 1110, or anycombination thereof. A computer readable storage medium can includetangible media that is able to store instructions associated with, orused by, a device or system. A computer readable storage mediumincludes, by way of non-limiting examples: RAM, ROM, cache, fiberoptics, EPROM/Flash memory, CD/DVD/BD-ROM, hard disk drives, solid-statestorage, optical or magnetic storage devices, diskettes, electricalconnections having a wire, or any combination thereof. A computerreadable storage medium may also include, for example, a system ordevice that is of a magnetic, optical, semiconductor, or electronictype. Computer readable storage media and computer readable signal mediaare mutually exclusive.

A computer readable signal medium can include any type of computerreadable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and mayinclude, for example, propagated signals taking any number of forms suchas optical, electromagnetic, or a combination thereof. A computerreadable signal medium may include propagated data signals containingcomputer readable code, for example, within a carrier wave. Computerreadable storage media and computer readable signal media are mutuallyexclusive.

The computing device 1100 may include one or more network interfaces1112 to facilitate communication with one or more remote devices 1118,which may include, for example, client and/or server devices. A networkinterface 1112 may also be described as a communications module, asthese terms may be used interchangeably.

It is also noted that recitations herein of “at least one” or “one ormore” components, elements, etc., should not be used to create aninference that the alternative use of the articles “a” or “an” should belimited to a single component, element, etc.

It is noted that recitations herein of a component of the presentdisclosure being “configured” or “programmed” in a particular way, toembody a particular property, or to function in a particular manner, arestructural recitations, as opposed to recitations of intended use. Morespecifically, the references herein to the manner in which a componentis “configured” or “programmed” denotes an existing physical conditionof the component and, as such, is to be taken as a definite recitationof the structural characteristics of the component.

For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it isnoted that the term “approximately” is utilized herein to represent theinherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to anyquantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation.The term “approximately” is also utilized herein to represent the degreeby which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated referencewithout resulting in a change in the basic function of the subjectmatter at issue.

Having described the subject matter of the present disclosure in detailand by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is noted that thevarious details disclosed herein should not be taken to imply that thesedetails relate to elements that are essential components of the variousembodiments described herein, even in cases where a particular elementis illustrated in each of the drawings that accompany the presentdescription. Further, it will be apparent that modifications andvariations are possible without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure, including, but not limited to, embodiments defined in theappended claims. More specifically, although some aspects of the presentdisclosure are identified herein as preferred or particularlyadvantageous, it is contemplated that the present disclosure is notnecessarily limited to these aspects.

It is noted that one or more of the following claims utilize the term“wherein” as a transitional phrase. For the purposes of defining thepresent invention, it is noted that this term is introduced in theclaims as an open-ended transitional phrase that is used to introduce arecitation of a series of characteristics of the structure and should beinterpreted in like manner as the more commonly used open-ended preambleterm “comprising.”

What is claimed is:
 1. A goods-to-man warehousing system comprising: amultilevel racking system; a plurality of mobile storage units; astorage unit transporter; a pick-place vehicle; a mobile storage unittransfer node accessible by the pick-place vehicle; and a warehousemanagement computing hub, wherein the multilevel racking systemcomprises a vertically and horizontally distributed array of storagebays and a plurality of racking system aisles, the storage unittransporter and the pick-place vehicle are configured to travel in theracking system aisles, the storage unit transporter is furtherconfigured to travel beneath the vertically and horizontally distributedarray of storage bays of the multilevel racking system, one or more ofthe mobile storage units are positioned in respective ones of thestorage bays of the multilevel racking system, the pick-place vehiclecomprises pick-place hardware that enables the pick-place vehicle totransfer mobile storage units between a plurality of different,vertically displaced storage bays of the multilevel racking system andthe mobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousingsystem, the storage unit transporter comprises storage unit engagementhardware that enables the storage unit transporter to transport mobilestorage units to and from the mobile storage unit transfer node of thegoods-to-man warehousing system, and the warehouse management computinghub is programmed to instruct the storage unit transporter and thepick-place vehicle to coordinate movement of the mobile storage units inthe goods-to-man warehousing system such that the pick-place vehicleengages a target mobile storage unit from a vertically displaced stockedstorage bay of the array of storage bays and lowers the mobile storageunit from the stocked storage bay onto the mobile storage unit transfernode, the storage unit transporter enters and exits a travel pathbeneath the multilevel racking system or along the racking system aislestowards the mobile storage unit transfer node with the target storageunit and transports mobile storage units along mobile storage unittravel paths extending from respective mobile storage unit transfernodes within, into, and out of the racking system aisles.
 2. Thegoods-to-man warehousing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein thewarehouse management computing hub and the pick-place vehicle arecollectively configured to access mobile storage unit transfer nodes inlocations in the warehouse aisles and outside of the warehouse aisles.3. The goods-to-man warehousing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:the goods-to-man warehousing system comprises mobile storage unittransfer nodes in the racking system aisles and outside of the rackingsystem aisles; and the warehouse management computing hub, the storageunit transporters, and the pick-place vehicle are collectivelyconfigured for accessing mobile storage unit transfer nodes in thewarehouse aisles and outside of the warehouse aisles.
 4. Thegoods-to-man warehousing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein thegoods-to-man warehousing system comprises mobile storage unit transfernodes in the racking system aisles.
 5. The goods-to-man warehousingsystem as claimed in claim 1 wherein the goods-to-man warehousing systemcomprises mobile storage unit transfer nodes that are vertically alignedwith a stocked storage bay, at an end of an aisle in which the stockedstorage bay resides, or at a location within the aisle in which thestocked storage bay resides that is neither vertically aligned with thestocked storage bay nor at an end of the aisle.
 6. The goods-to-manwarehousing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile storageunits are structurally configured to stand at a mobile storage unittransfer node on the warehouse floor and to permit storage unittransporter travel beneath the mobile storage units when the mobilestorage units are standing at a mobile storage unit transfer node on thewarehouse floor.
 7. The goods-to-man warehousing system as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising an intermediate transfer station, whereinthe intermediate transfer station is positioned along the mobile storageunit travel path extending from the mobile storage unit transfer node tothe goods receiving station.
 8. The goods-to-man warehousing system asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the warehouse management computing hub andthe pick-place vehicle are collectively configured to execute a pickoperation comprising: selection of a vertically displaced stockedstorage bay of the multilevel racking system, wherein the verticallydisplaced stocked storage bay is not accessible by the storage unittransporter and comprises a mobile storage unit; retrieval of the targetmobile storage unit from the vertically displaced stocked storage bay byengaging the target mobile unit with a lifting mechanism of thepick-place vehicle; and placement of the target mobile storage unit at amobile storage unit transfer node using the lifting mechanism of thepick-place vehicle.
 9. The goods-to-man warehousing system as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the mobile storage unit transfer node is verticallyaligned with the stocked storage bay, at an end of an aisle in which thestocked storage bay resides, or at a location within the aisle in whichthe stocked storage bay resides that is neither vertically aligned withthe stocked storage bay nor at an end of the aisle.
 10. The goods-to-manwarehousing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the warehousemanagement computing hub and the pick-place vehicle are collectivelyconfigured to execute a place operation comprising: selection of amobile storage unit transfer node that is accessible by a storage unittransporter and the pick-place vehicle; retrieval of the target mobilestorage unit from the mobile storage unit transfer node by engaging thetarget mobile storage unit with a lifting mechanism of the pick-placevehicle; and placement of the target mobile storage unit into avertically displaced unstocked or partially stocked storage bay of themultilevel racking system using the lifting mechanism of the pick-placevehicle.
 11. The goods-to-man warehousing system as claimed in claim 10,wherein the warehouse management computing hub and the pick-placevehicle are further configured to execute the place operation byselecting the vertically displaced unstocked or partially stockedstorage bay based at least partially on a utilization frequencyassociated with the target mobile storage unit.
 12. The goods-to-manwarehousing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the place operationdesignates higher velocity storage bays for target mobile storage unitswith utilization frequencies exceeding utilization frequencies of lowvelocity storage bays for target mobile storage units.
 13. Thegoods-to-man warehousing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein thewarehouse management computing hub and the pick-place vehicle arecollectively configured to execute pick and place operations comprising:selection of a vertically displaced stocked storage bay of themultilevel racking system, wherein the vertically displaced stockedstorage bay is not accessible by the storage unit transporter andcomprises a mobile storage unit; retrieval of the target mobile storageunit from the vertically displaced stocked storage bay by engaging thetarget mobile unit with a lifting mechanism of the pick-place vehicle;placement of the target mobile storage unit at a mobile storage unittransfer node using the lifting mechanism of the pick-place vehicle;selection of a mobile storage unit transfer node that is accessible by astorage unit transporter and the pick-place vehicle; retrieval of thetarget mobile storage unit from the mobile storage unit transfer node byengaging the target mobile storage unit with a lifting mechanism of thepick-place vehicle; and placement of the target mobile storage unit intoa vertically displaced unstocked or partially stocked storage bay of themultilevel racking system using the lifting mechanism of the pick-placevehicle.
 14. The goods-to-man warehousing system as claimed in claim 1,wherein the mobile storage units comprise self-contained shelving unitsthat are structurally configured to be positioned in vertically andhorizontally distributed storage bays of the multilevel racking system,to stand at a mobile storage unit transfer node on the warehouse floor,and to permit transporter travel beneath the mobile storage units whenthe mobile storage units are standing at a mobile storage unit transfernode on the warehouse floor.
 15. The goods-to-man warehousing system asclaimed in claim 14, wherein: the warehouse floor upon which themultilevel racking system is supported forms a lowest level of themultilevel racking system; the lowest level of the multilevel rackingsystem comprises a storage height that is sufficient to accommodate aheight of the self-contained shelving unit; at least a portion of themobile storage unit transfer nodes reside in the lowest level of themultilevel racking system.
 16. The goods-to-man warehousing system asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the storage bays of the multilevel rackingsystem comprise respective storage bay heights that are limited toaccommodate a height of only one mobile storage unit.
 17. Thegoods-to-man warehousing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: themobile storage units comprise self-contained shelving units that arestructurally configured to be positioned in vertically and horizontallydistributed storage bays of the multilevel racking system; thepick-place vehicle comprises a turret stock picker forklift comprisinglifting forks mounted to a pivoting mast; and the lifting forks andpivoting mast are structurally configured to engage and disengage themobile storage units.
 18. The goods-to-man warehousing system as claimedin claim 1, wherein: the storage unit transporter comprises a liftingsurface and is structurally configured to lift a mobile storage unit offof the warehouse floor upon which the multilevel racking system issupported by elevating the transporter lifting surface from a travelingheight to a transporting height; and each of the mobile storage units isstructurally configured to permit the storage unit transporter to enterand exit a lifting zone beneath the mobile storage unit in at least twoorthogonal directions, with the lifting surface of the storage unittransporter at the traveling height.
 19. A goods-to-man warehousingsystem comprising: a multilevel racking system; a plurality of mobilestorage units; a storage unit transporter; a pick-place vehicle; amobile storage unit transfer node accessible by the pick-place vehicle,wherein transfer node is located in one of the racking system aisles;and a warehouse management computing hub, wherein the multilevel rackingsystem comprises a vertically and horizontally distributed array ofstorage bays and a plurality of racking system aisles, the storage unittransporter and the pick-place vehicle are configured to travel in theracking system aisles, the storage unit transporter is furtherconfigured to travel beneath the vertically and horizontally distributedarray of storage bays of the multilevel racking system, one or more ofthe mobile storage units are positioned in respective ones of thestorage bays of the multilevel racking system, the pick-place vehiclecomprises pick-place hardware that enables the pick-place vehicle totransfer mobile storage units between a plurality of different,vertically displaced storage bays of the multilevel racking system andthe mobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousingsystem, the warehouse management computing hub and the pick-placevehicle are collectively configured to access mobile storage unittransfer nodes in locations in the warehouse aisles and outside of thewarehouse aisles, the storage unit transporter comprises storage unitengagement hardware that enables the storage unit transporter totransport mobile storage units to and from the mobile storage unittransfer node of the goods-to-man warehousing system, the mobile storageunits are structurally configured to stand at a mobile storage unittransfer node on the warehouse floor and to permit storage unittransporter travel beneath the mobile storage units when the mobilestorage units are standing at a mobile storage unit transfer node on thewarehouse floor, the warehouse management computing hub is programmed toinstruct the storage unit transporter and the pick-place vehicle tocoordinate movement of the mobile storage units in the goods-to-manwarehousing system such that the pick-place vehicle engages a targetmobile storage unit from a vertically displaced stocked storage bay ofthe array of storage bays and lowers the mobile storage unit from thestocked storage bay onto the mobile storage unit transfer node, thestorage unit transporter enters and exits a travel path beneath themultilevel racking system or along the racking system aisles towards themobile storage unit transfer node with the target storage unit andtransports mobile storage units along mobile storage unit travel pathsextending from respective mobile storage unit transfer nodes within,into, and out of the racking system aisles, the warehouse managementcomputing hub and the pick-place vehicle are collectively configured toexecute a pick operation comprising selection of a vertically displacedstocked storage bay of the multilevel racking system, wherein thevertically displaced stocked storage bay is not accessible by thestorage unit transporter and comprises a mobile storage unit; retrievalof the target mobile storage unit from the vertically displaced stockedstorage bay by engaging the target mobile unit with a lifting mechanismof the pick-place vehicle; and placement of the target mobile storageunit at a mobile storage unit transfer node using the lifting mechanismof the pick-place vehicle; and the warehouse management computing huband the pick-place vehicle are collectively configured to execute aplace operation comprising selection of a mobile storage unit transfernode that is accessible by a storage unit transporter and the pick-placevehicle; retrieval of the target mobile storage unit from the mobilestorage unit transfer node by engaging the target mobile storage unitwith a lifting mechanism of the pick-place vehicle; and placement of thetarget mobile storage unit into a vertically displaced unstocked orpartially stocked storage bay of the multilevel racking system using thelifting mechanism of the pick-place vehicle.
 20. A goods-to-manwarehousing system comprising: a multilevel racking system; a pluralityof mobile storage units; a storage unit transporter; a pick-placevehicle; a mobile storage unit transfer node accessible by thepick-place vehicle; and a warehouse management computing hub, whereinthe multilevel racking system comprises a vertically and horizontallydistributed array of storage bays and a plurality of racking systemaisles, the storage unit transporter and the pick-place vehicle areconfigured to travel in the racking system aisles, the storage unittransporter is further configured to travel beneath the vertically andhorizontally distributed array of storage bays of the multilevel rackingsystem, one or more of the mobile storage units are positioned inrespective ones of the storage bays of the multilevel racking system,the pick-place vehicle comprises pick-place hardware that enables thepick-place vehicle to transfer mobile storage units between a pluralityof different, vertically displaced storage bays of the multilevelracking system and the mobile storage unit transfer node of thegoods-to-man warehousing system, the storage unit transporter comprisesstorage unit engagement hardware that enables the storage unittransporter to transport mobile storage units to and from the mobilestorage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousing system, andthe warehouse management computing hub is programmed to instruct thestorage unit transporter and the pick-place vehicle to coordinatemovement of the mobile storage units in the goods-to-man warehousingsystem such that the pick-place vehicle engages a target mobile storageunit from a vertically displaced stocked storage bay of the array ofstorage bays and lowers the mobile storage unit from the stocked storagebay onto the mobile storage unit transfer node.